


I Will Set Us Free

by BloodyDemonWitch



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Dark, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, Mercy Killing, Non-Graphic Violence, Tragedy, Unhappy Ending, references to slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:07:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27061663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BloodyDemonWitch/pseuds/BloodyDemonWitch
Summary: When Darth Vader had brought his son to his master, he had not properly thought out what would happen. Even after Luke’s rejection in Cloud City, he had thought that the boy would not reject the Dark Side at the coercion of Darth Sidious.
Relationships: Luke Skywalker & Darth Vader
Comments: 4
Kudos: 36





	I Will Set Us Free

**Author's Note:**

> Me: "Yeah I should write something fluffy again."  
> Also me: "Cute, now rewrite it and make it a tragedy."
> 
> Warnings for this story:  
> Non-graphic torture  
> Major character death

When Darth Vader had brought his son to his master, he had not properly thought out what would happen. Even after Luke’s cold rejection in Cloud City, he had thought that the boy at least had some common sense and would not reject the Dark Side at the coercion of Darth Sidious. But Luke had stubbornly refused to fall. Resisted, even when Palpatine tortured him with lightning and taunted him with the death of his cause and his friends.

Luke had reached out to him and called him “Father”. The boy had begged for Vader to safe him, to help him. But Vader hadn’t moved. He had watched as Luke’s muscles spasmed and finally fell still as the boy lost consciousness.

He wasn’t dead, oh no that would have been too easy. He was gravely injured, but alive. For a moment Vader had naively thought that Sidious would show Luke mercy and simply kill him, but of course that hadn’t happened. Palpatine moved his hand and the Red Guards appeared.

“Take him to the detention block.” He ordered.

“He may not see the errors of his way now, but he will later.”

He turned to Vader.

“I will make sure of it.”

The hatred in Vader’s heart had never burned brighter. He watched as the Red Guards lifted his son's limp and injured body and carried him away. He realized that he had missed his change. He and his son would never be together.

That had been two months ago. Since then, the Rebellion had been actively crushed and so had been his son’s spirit. Palpatine once remarked how the boy was suborn like his Mother. Vader hadn’t been able to do anything but say:

“Yes, Master.”

And destroy the nearest droid when he was back in his own chamber's.

He had not seen his son in two months. Not physically at least. Palpatine had been sure to keep Vader updated about Luke’s status. At first, he was sent a holovid almost every day, but they became wider and wider spread.

The first holo's had been full with Luke’s defiance.

_“I already told you I will not turn, your Majesty. I am a Jedi, like my Father before me!”_

_“You are foolish, like your Father before you.”_

After the first two weeks of torture, Luke had looked worse. He was thin, pale and had dark circles around his eyes.

_“Have you had enough, Jedi? Are you ready to see the errors of your ways?”_

_Luke had spat in his face._

After the first month, Luke’s defiance had evaporated.

_“Father please.”_

_“Your Father isn’t here, young fool.”_

The last holo had been even worse.

_“Niuta beej. Heppo jeesh niuta.”_

_“Speak clearly, boy.”_

_“Jee jab take lo anee longah. Niuta papah, safa jeesh”  
_

Luke’s pleading could have been written off as incoherent, but Vader knew better. He had never known that his son knew Huttese. He supposed it made sense, since the boy had grown up on Tatioone. Luke had left a message, only for his ears.

But the fourth week of the second month had been the worst. His son’s eyes had been empty and please no longer fell from his mouth. The boy would only scream. Vader knew that soon the screaming would stop as well and there would be nothing left.

His son, his little boy, would be an empty shell and there would be nothing Vader could do about. Well, there was one thing he could do about it.

It would come with devastating consequences, but those were consequences Vader was willing to face for his son. As he had been for Padmé all those years ago. It was all he could do.

He walked to the Detention Block, he hadn’t informed anyone of this walk. Why would he and who would he inform, besides Luke he had no-one left.

The Red Guards stood by the entrance of the Detention Block.

“Leave.” He ordered, his voice made no room for arguments. But one of the guards spoke up anyway.

“The Emperor-"

Vader raised his hand and put the guard in a Force Choke. He slightly lifted him of the ground.

“The Emperor,” He said, putting as much anger in the words as he could manage, “isn’t here.”

He dropped his hand and with that the Red Guard dropped to the ground.

“Leave!” He repeated and this time the Red Guards didn’t not hesitate to scramble away. He opened the door which gave excess to his Son.

Luke was lying curled up in a corner of his cell. His clothes were torn and bloody, there was an ugly metal collar around his neck, his hair was dirty and matted and that was just what Vader could see. He walked into the cell, but Luke gave no indication that he had heard anybody enter the cell.

Only when he put a hand on his son’s shoulder, he looked up.

“Papah, uba came.” Luke said, his eyes were unfocused but his hands wore holding on tight to his Father’s arms.

“Of course jee came, little bo.” Vader softly removed his arms from Luke’s grip and cradled his son closer. Luke seemed to melt in the touch. Vader undid the Force Collar around Luke’s neck. He shuddered. They stayed like that for a moment, with Luke breathing evenly and Vader tousling his son’s dirty hair.

“We have to go.” Luke said, his voice muffled in Vader’s shoulder.

“We have to go, Father. We can be free.”

“No, My Son.” Vader said and for the first time in his life, he was glad for having a vocoder.

“We cannot both be free.”

Luke freed himself from his Father’s grip and looked him in the eye.

“What do you mean?” He asked.

“I can only set you free, but I can’t free myself.” Vader answered.

Luke opened his mouth to say something, but Vader clasped his gloved hand over Luke’s mouth and nose. Luke trashed against Vader’s grip, but he was already weak from week’s of torture.

“Sshhhh,” Vader shushed his son, “It will all be over soon. You will be free.”

Luke’s eyes were big and frightened. That confused Vader for a moment, couldn’t Luke see that he was helping him? That he wouldn’t have to be a slave, that he would die a free man?

Luke must be afraid to go, Vader concluded.

“It’s alright, Little One. It will all be okay.”

Luke’s movements became slow and sluggish. He stopped fighting Vader’s hand. His eyes became unfocused and finally his chest stopped rising.

Vader could feel his son’s death in the Force. He was sure Sidious had felt it as well. Vader knew he would be here soon and then he and his son would be reunited. He gathered his son’s limb body into his arms. They would both be free.

**Author's Note:**

> Huttese translations:  
> “Niuta beej. Heppo jeesh niuta.” - Please father. Help me please.  
> “Jee jab take lo anee longah. Niuta papah, safa jeesh” - I can’t take it any longer. Please papa, safe me.  
> "Papah, uba came" - Papa, you came.  
> "Of course jee came, little bo."- Of course I came, Little one


End file.
